Shamitabh | Maestro | Amitabh | Dhanush | Balki | P. C. Sreeram

[JamesDap]

Will check out these at leisure, won't have access to internet on the computer for the next couple of days sadly. To sum it up, my view is that IR has always had a subversive streak tempered by the need to please listeners with his music. He doesn't want to get too far out where his work won't be understood. In the early 80s he was particularly subversive with songs like endrendrum anandhame. This began to get more balanced by mid late 80s. In the 90s fans felt disappointed that he was supposedly diluting his experimentation but songs like Vanakuyile, Nil nil, Thendral (Avatharam) stand out for their complexity and audacity. And so the story goes. Fans interpret the moderation of his experiments in recent years as him running out of ideas but it is more likely an adjustment to the prevailing music culture. Nobody else in Bollywood is going to use baroque piano in a disco track. That's classic IR.

[irir123]

spoton crimson king - am not the one who will ever accuse IR of running out of ideas - no way - am rather accusing those approaching him not to use his genius adequately enough - Balki is all gaga abt him but continues to ask for earlier tunes when IR has said repeatedly he gets annoyed ad nauseum when someone asks for an older tune or something like something else!

I appreciate Gautam for extracting an NEPV from IR

[venkkiram]

spoton crimson king - am not the one who will ever accuse IR of running out of ideas - no way - am rather accusing those approaching him not to use his genius adequately enough - Balki is all gaga abt him but continues to ask for earlier tunes when IR has said repeatedly he gets annoyed ad nauseum when someone asks for an older tune or something like something else!

I appreciate Gautam for extracting an NEPV from IR

Am not sure why going too much on Balki's decision. We already witnessed many times that IR's once composed tune for one language movie situation been utilized for another language movie situation. I like very much Cheeni Kum's songs. Its fresh.

[irir123]

Am not sure why going too much on Balki's decision. We already witnessed many times that IR's once composed tune for one language movie situation been utilized for another language movie situation. I like very much Cheeni Kum's songs. Its fresh.

Cheeni kum was great! but to request IR to do the same with every other film is nonsense, IMHO - our man is brimming with ideas and creativity - not to use that is criminal - in Paa, the 'mudi mudi' tune was reused thrice in the same album - the versions had different interpretations but thats far lesser than what one can get from IR.

am hoping for something super in thaarai thappattai

[thumburu]

Balki's making use of a Hanuman like IR is akin to employing a world class sculptor to perform ammi aattukkal kothifying.
Why go as far as devadhai for organic, rousing drumming , we had them even in as recent as Mumbai Express

[Hulkster]

While i understand the gripes about cheeni kum and to a certain extent Paa, i certainly do not understand the gripes for Shamitabh as only one song has been reused (reused is a wrong statement, more of modified). In fact Shamitabh has shown me more of thalaivar's composing styles than any of his other albums and i commend Balki for bring out the best in him here. I always thought that the way he uses electronic music was very unique as it never sounded like the way other composers use it and Shamitabh is the strongest highlight which shows that his composing style is on a genre of its own. Every time i listen to this album i can see that the orchestration is completely his style and the instruments are just children following to the music of the pipe.

[JamesDap]

While Shamitabh may get harsh flak from some fans, it is also not overwhelming, musically. NEPV is way more complex, emotional and nuanced. As I said in another forum, NEPV has stoked our expectations too much. It will be remembered as one of his all time masterpieces in hindsight. Not many of Raja's creations are going to match it. Shamitabh following in this wake of an Athu oru kanakaalam would have been better received.

[thumburu]

Even "adhu oru kanAkAlam" which came out after the wake of Thiruvasagam was not well received by many music pundits in this very forum. Subbudu like vijayr also had good words to say only for the short song "kAttu vazhi".

[JamesDap]

I know. That's why I said IF hypothetically Shamitabh had followed that film.